Dipping mechanism for electroplating apparatus.



J. H. SHAW.

, DIPPING MEGHANISM FOR ELEGTROPLATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3, 1909.

Patented July 12, 1910.

s SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR. Tim M MW FVJTNESSES:

J. H. SHAW. DIPPING MECHANISM FOR ELEGTROPLATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION I'ILED MAY 3, 1909.

963,817. Patented July 12,1910.

3 BHEB-TS-8HEET 2.

W/TNESSES: 'INVEY 0R. fl N. W? W BY W Mir m ATTORNEi S J. H. SHAW.DIPPING MECHANISM FOR ELEOTROPLATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3, 1909.

963,81 '7, Patented July 12, 1910.

3 BHEETS-SHEET 3.

* m; 11%; W {QM/1 JOHN H. SHAWQOF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TSABGENT & COMPANY, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A. CORPORATION OFCONNECTICUT.

DIPPING MECHANISM FOR ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS.

Patented July 1L2, ieio.

To all whom it may concern:

the articles to be electro-p Be it known that I, JOHN H. SHAW, of thecity and county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented newand useful Improvements in Di ping Mechanism for Electroplating orSlmilar Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,which form a part hereof.

This invention has for its object the production of a simple andeflicient apparatus for continuously carrying on the operation ofelectro-plating by providing mechanism for automatically immersing andextracting ated and transferring them from one bath to the other. Thisobject is accomplished by means of a traveler supporting the carrierfrom the work holder, and novel mechanism for actuating the carrier atthe proper time to raise the work holder to remove the articles from onebath and immerse or dip them again in the next succeeding bath. Hithertothe means provided for raising and lowering the work holder have failedto give the articles the full benefit of the bath, because the articleshave been gradually raised from'and lowered into the bath as they havetraveled from'one end of the tub to the other.

The present invention, provides a rotary member that actuates thecarrier to swing the work holder in a reverse direction from themovement of the traveler as the Work holder is raised or lowered,thereby permitting the articles or work holder to travel on t1on of theapparatus, and Fig. 3, a transverse vertica section through the travelerand earl-gait, and the actuating mechanism.

In all figures, similar letters of reference represent like parts. 7 a

In the drawings, the parts deslgnated by the letters A, A represent aseries of baths or tubs, and B an endless chain rotated in a horizontalplane by means of a sprocket C driven by any suitable actuatingmechanism (not herein shown). Suspended from links X of the chainproperly spaced are travelers D. These may be suspended (as shown moreparticularly in Fig. 3) by means of a supporting plate T fitting overthe link X of the chain andsecured to the upper end of the traveler D bya bolt or bolts V. Each traveler D has transverse bearin s for a looselyrotating shaft or carrier l d to an 4 outer end of which is rigidlysecured a supportin arm F with a holder F. On either side 0 the travelerD wheels G are loosely mounted on the carrier E. The'se wheels G are adated to run on the elevated track J mount below the chain B and above thetank or tanks A, A, etc. The track is herein shown consisting of twoparallel rails J and J, and the wheels of the carrier are held on therails by means of a depending studH on which is mounted a roller I ofproper width to fit between the two rails of the tracks J and J andprevent lateral movement of the traveler D. There is also mounted on thecarrier or shaft E one or more gears L and M which are secured to theshaft. E by keys N, or other suitable means so that they will rotatewith the shaft E, although-capable of a limited longitudinal movementthereon. These gears L and M are adapted to engage ratchetsO and P,respectively, which are located in proximity to the rails J and J of theelevated track. The ratchets O and P are situated (as shown moreparticularly in Figs. 1 and 2) over the partitlons S, S, between theseveral tubs or baths A, A, etc. Work-holders R are adapted to besupported on the holder F of the arm F of the carrier in any suitablemanner.

The operation of the apparatus is as fol-' lows: The articles to belated are placed upon work holders R, and the chain B set in motion by,means of the sprocket C.

IVhen one of the travelers D moving along the track J, J comes to apoint where one of the gears L or M engages one of the ratchets O or P,the teeth of the gear will mesh with the teeth of the ratchet so thatthe. ear will be rotated in the direction indicate by the arrow (Fig. 2)and the carrier E to which the gear is keyed will rotate therewithswingmg the arm F around so that its end to .WhlCh the work holder issecured describes a curve substantially like that in-.

.dicated in dotted line (Fig. 2). This movenext succeeding tub 'or bathnear its end partition S. The continued. movement of the chain andthedepending carrier moves" the work holder forward on the same hori zontalplane'through the bath or tub".A., u ntil one of the gears L or Mengagesfthenext succeeding ratchet mounted overthe -parti-..

tion S at the other endof the bath or tub A, when the operation ofraising the work" holder will'be repeatedfas above described.-

By this construction the work'holder is carried 'forward bythe endlesschain until it comes to a position almost against the partition S or SWhen it is raised by the rotation of the axle the outer endof the armtends to swing sli htlybackward away from the partition, an the reversedirection from that of the movement of the traveler D, as indicated bythe dotted lines (Fi 2); On the other hand, when the work hol er is thenext succeeding bath or tub A, so tha t the work holderpracticallytravels through the full-length of the tub on substantial y the samehorizontal line.

As it may be desired to raise or dip certain classes of articles morerapidly than others, the two gears L and M mounted on the axle E of thecarrier differ in diameter.

By this arrangement, when the gear" L is Y ing from the spirit thereof,what I c aim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In dipping mechanism, the combination with a work holder; of atraveling rotary member adapted to raise or lower it upon the rotationof said member, substantially as described. Y

2. In dipping mechanism, the combination with a work holder; of a rotarymember adapted to travel horizontally above a bath, and upon itsrotation to raise or lower the work holder from or into the bath,substantially as described. v

3. In dipping mechanism, the combination with a rotary member adapted totravel above a bath and to be intermittently rotated; of a work holderraised or lowered upon the rotation of said member, substantially asdescribed.

ain dipped in the succeeding tub the com-; l ete revolution of the axleand the armtends to move the work holder backward into; closejuxtaposition with the' partition S of 4.111 dipping mechanism, thecombination with awork holder; of atraveling carrier; a rotary membercarried thereby, and adapted to raise or lower the work holder upon therotation of said member, substantially as describedl 5. Indippingmechanism, the combination with a series of work*holders;'of a series ofrotary members adapted to raise or --lower them upon the rotation ofsaid mem- 'bers; and means'for propelling said members horizontally .andfor. rotating each member separately, substantially as described j 6. Indippingcmechanism, the combination with a carrier; of a work holdersupported thereby; and means for rotating said carrier and therebyraising or lowering saidholder, substantially as described.

7. In "dipping mechanism, the combina tion with an endless chain; of acarrier propelled thereby; a work holdersupported by :said carrier; andmeans for rotating said jcarrier and thereby raising or lowering saidholder, substantially as described.

8. In dipping mechanism, the combination with atrack; of a carrieradapted to travel thereon; a work holder supported thereby; and meansfor rotating said carrier and thereby raising or lowering said holder,substantially as described. 9. I dipping mechanism, the combination witha carrier capable of rotation; a work holder s11 ported thereby; andmeans for rotating said carrier to'raise or lower said holder,substantially as described.

10. In dipping mechanism the combinationwith an endless chain; oi a'carrier propelled thereby and capable of rotation; a work holdersupported thereby; and means for intermittently rotating said carrier,substantially as described.

11. In dipping mechanism, the combination with an endless chain; of aseries of carriers propelled thereby and capable of independentrotation; work holders supported by said carriers; and means forrotating said carriers se arately to raise or lower said work hol ers,substantially as described.

12. In dipping mechanism, the combination with a rotary carrier; ajcrank arm rigidly connectedtherewith for supporting the work holder; andmeansfor'rotating said carrier and crank arm, substantially asdescribed.

13. In dipping mechanism, the combination with an endlesschain; of aseries of carriers propelled thereby; work holders supported by saidcarriers; a gear mounted on said carrier and adapted-to rotatetherewith;

and an engagement adapted to rotate said gear, substantiallyasdescribed.

1ft. In dipping mechanism, the combination with an endless chain; of atraveler mounted thereon; a rotar shaft loosel In witness whereof I havehereunto set mounted on said traveler aving a cran my hand on the 27thday of Aprll, 1909. arm; a gear and ratchet connection with said shaftto rotate the same; and a work holder O SHAW supported by said crank armand raised or Witnesses:

lowered u on the rotation of said shaft, MAY L; OCONNOR, substantial yas described. SAMUEL H. FISHER.

